Last week, China’s Ministry of Commerce published a document that went by the name of “announcement No. 62 of 2025”.
But this wasn’t just any bureaucratic missive. It has rocked the fragile tariffs truce with the US.
The announcement detailed sweeping new curbs on its rare earth exports, in a move that tightens Beijing’s grip on the global supply of the critical minerals - and reminded Donald Trump just how much leverage China holds in the trade war.
China has a near-monopoly in the processing of rare earths - crucial for the production of everything from smartphones to fighter jets.
Do you want environmental degradation and pollution with processing rare earths? Because that’s the main reason why many countries avoid doing it because it will be met with opposition from their electorates.
That’s only because we want cheap rare earths. If we wanted rare earth’s without the environmental fallout, it would be expensive even if done in China. We’re simply offloading our environmental waste to others.